I am interested in purchasing a portable generator that I can use at home & RVing. Honda seems to be the top seller, but also seems to have a very high price. There seems to be several competitors that have lower prices and offer the same or comparable noise levels. I've also noticed most of the generators sold at Harbor Freight have a pigtail 30 amp plug. Are these compatible to use for Travel Trailers, and are adapters available. Thanks in advance for feedback.

Aside from the obvious Honda or Yamaha, you may want to consider Champion. They have outstanding customer service, are lower in price, and very dependable.This site is an authorized dealer with free shipping & offers "Refurb" units also. SUPERGEN

Power is Power - I would really look at the INVERTER type generators as they seem to produce the best 120VAC envelope for 60HZ operations. Some of the cheaper generators really produce some trashy looking 60Hz wave forms that might do damage to some of your appliances.Also as you are probably already aware that alot of PUBLIC CAMP GROUNDs on the East side of the US have all kinds of Generator Use restriction in place making it hard to justify a large generator install. When you want to use it the public campground you are at probably won't allow it.That is what we have run into at the places we like to go to at any rate...Generators are boss out West where alot of OFF ROAD DISPERSED camping is allowed...With all of this in mind I just went for a small portable Honda 2KW Inverter type generator to use just to plug my OFF-ROAD POPUP trailer shore power cable into it and re-charge my beefed up battery bank in a quick three hour generator run time using smart mode charging modes.Running off of the Solar panels and Batteries doesn't fall under the Generator run time rules around here... I have my camping spot all lit up just like we have at regular camp sites with electric and use all the 120VAC items we want to have ON running from an INVERTER. Nothing making any noise at all to get complaints from the neighbor campers...I have had my 2KW Honda now since 2008 and it still start on the first or second pull on the cord...Just saying...Roy Ken

The big inexpensive open frames are loud. Fine if you are out in the boonies by yourself but around others, they are annoying unless you are inside the rig with the AC and TV on. Think of someone sitting a big old noisy lawn mower right next to your site, firing it up and leaving it run at full speed for hours and you get the concept.Now if you do boondock, the Champion 3500/4000 that can be had for $300. Around others I would get the quietest generator you can afford. For just charging purposes a Champion 2000 inverter is quiet and runs around $500. Two will run your air conditioner. The larger 3100i is a bit louder than it's Honda counterpart but half the price and will run the AC with easy. We have a nice 3500/4000 with remote start for when we need it boondocking. we tend to leave it home in favor of letting the solar keep us charged up silently.

Champion inverter generators have become a popular option for those that do not want to spend lots of $$$ for something that they will use sporadically. If you plan to reliably power your AC unit you are looking for a generator with minimum of 3K watt. Champion does manufacture a unit this size and it has been well received, and can be had for a fraction of the cost of a comparable Honda/Yamaha unit.

From what Ive read the Harbor Freight 3500/4000 unit supplies about 1600-1800 watts on each 120V circuit and the 2 circuits cannot be tied together. I chose the Champion 3500/4000 as it has one 120v circuit that supplies 26 amps or more. Ive been very pleased with the Champion.

Looking for a Generator | Good Sam Community

mosseater
Explorer II
Jan 16, 2015
I haven't heard anything about Kipor lately. I had some troubles with mine when I first got it, and because I bought it on Ebay I had to eat the repair cost, but it's been fine ever since. A Honda clone, they sell the inverter model 3K watts for about half what a Honda is, and they are quiet.
wgp
Explorer
Jan 16, 2015
This is what I did too. Hondas are expensive but the weight, quiet and ability to parallel them together sold me.
wgp
Explorer
Jan 16, 2015
This is what I did too. Hondas are expensive but the weight, quiet and ability to parallel them together sold me.
wgp
Explorer
Jan 16, 2015
the bear II wrote:
I chose two Honda 2000i generators with a parallel kit so I can hook them together for more power to run the house or 5th wheel.

Chose them due to how quiet they are even at full power.

But main reason is the Honda engines are very reliable. Even when sitting for months at a time both generators start easily and run. Very efficient fuel use.

The two give the flexibility to carry one if we won't be using the airconditioner or running power tools. Or carry both if more power is needed. The power at our house went out fo 36 hours due to a large transformer failure on the grid. I hooked up the two Hondas and we had power to keep the fridge, lights and TVs going. Everyone else on the block were dead in the water.
jmckelvy
Explorer
Jan 16, 2015
netaq wrote:
I bought a Champion 3100 watt unit on black friday for 800 bucks + free shipping. We've used it on two trips since, and it works great.

Here's the same one at Amazon for $829 + free shipping

I have a Honda EUi2000. Have used it a lot. Very quiet and reliable. Have also used it during weather related power outages at home. My new AF 990 has a built in generator so I don't take the Honda camping anymore.

My brother has the Champion listed in the link above. It is also acceptably quiet compared to my Honda. If I were getting a new one it would be high on my list for consideration.
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Jan 16, 2015
If people don't mind the loudness of the Champion generators,then there a pretty good option to the Honda and Yamaha.Once you get to 60 db..Your talking a LOUD gen set.I think my Honda 2K is loud with a good load,much louder than my Honda 3K.

I have a 4K Generac I bought years ago for $299 and it has been a great generator other than the loudness and constantly running at 3600 rpms but it starts first pull most all the time.

I'm a cheap skate on most things but not generators..You get what you pay for and I need a reliable quiet generator so that's why I bought a new Honda 2K and a rarely used Honda 3K...They both have there place but for one generator for all things RV related,it's hard to beat the Honda 3k Inverter.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Jan 16, 2015
They posted the scope of the newer 120v only 3500/4000 and it was as clean as the inverters. Still loud though.
Mr__Camper
Explorer
Jan 16, 2015
Dakota98 wrote:
Aside from the obvious Honda or Yamaha, you may want to consider Champion. They have outstanding customer service, are lower in price, and very dependable.

This site is an authorized dealer with free shipping & offers "Refurb" units also.

SUPERGEN

Completely agree. We have a Champion 4500.
JoeyM
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
RoyB is spot on. I will second the recommendation for the Honda EU2000i. It does cost a bit more, but it is super quiet, well built, and parts are easily available. It is the generator of choice for Ham Radio operators as the inverter gives clean sine wave power which will not destroy electronics (and is quiet so you can hear your radio). I purchased an aftermarket fuel cap kit which allows mine to siphon fuel from an auxiliary tank for 24+ hour operation. Unlike lawnmower engine generators, an inverter unit does not need to maintain 3600 rpm, and slows down when power drain is reduced. Also, the Honda has a Forest Service approved spark arrestor. If you don't need to run an A/C, I'd look at the Honda, Yamaha, or any equivalent.
armyhockeynut
Explorer
Jan 15, 2015
Again, THANK YOU for all the responses today. Will definitely continue the research with the focus on Champion, Yamaha & Honda.

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